Frustrated? Tell Your Senators: “Fix The Filibuster!”

There is a big push going on to get the Senate to “fix the filibuster” so the majority can get things done, and the minority will stop obstructing literally everything. Today is a DAY OF ACTION for contacting senators to let them know that you want them to FIX THE FILIBUSTER! Tell them to co-sponsor S.Res. 4, the Merkley-Udall Rules Reform Package.

The “silent filibuster’ has enabled a minority to block literally almost everything from becoming law. There have been more than 380 filibusters in the last few years, yet the public knows little about this obstruction. So let’s “make them talk” when they want to filibuster a bill. This is the form of the filibuster that people understand.

Specifically, ask your senators to co-sponsor Senate Resolution 4, a package of real reforms that will enable the Senate to actually debate and discuss critical issues for all of us. Click here to see a fact sheet with details on exactly what Senate Resolution 4 will do.

Call your senators now at 1-888-966-9836, and urge them to co-sponsor Senate Resolution 4.

The following is from Fix The Senate Now, a coalition of organizations working to help restore democracy.

Frustrated With Congress?

If you’re like me, you are fed up with what’s been happening in Congress lately.

Important legislation that addresses the tough issues that we are facing never reaches the Senate floor.

The filibuster used to be an important tool that gave the minority a real voice in the Senate. But today Senators regularly hold “silent” filibusters, stopping important legislation without ever having to stand on the floor of the Senate to explain why.

We have a rare chance to fight back against business as usual in Washington. But we must act now, before the Senate votes on the rules for the new session of Congress.

What do the DREAM Act, the Paycheck Fairness Act, the Employee Free Choice Act and DISCLOSE campaign finance reform have in common? All four bills passed the House of Representatives and gained majority support in the Senate. But they did not become law because of the silent filibuster.1

Many Senators are as frustrated as we are with this lack of progress. Senators Jeff Merkley and Tom Udall have introduced Senate Resolution 4 to fix the problem. Resolution 4 replaces the silent filibuster with the “talking” filibuster, to ensure that Senators who oppose a bill have to speak on the Senate floor to explain their objections.

It’s clear that in order to move our agenda forward we must fix the filibuster. Ask your Senators to co-sponsor Senate Resolution 4 today.

About Dave Johnson

Dave has more than 20 years of technology industry experience. His earlier career included technical positions, including video game design at Atari and Imagic. He was a pioneer in design and development of productivity and educational applications of personal computers. More recently he helped co-found a company developing desktop systems to validate carbon trading in the US.